scope:

This standard is a comprehensive revision and extension of the previous Standard Definitions of Terms of Antennas.

It is assumed in this standard that an antenna is a passive linear reciprocal device. Thus, where a definition implies the use of an antenna in a transmitting situation, its use in a receiving situation is also implicit unless specifically stated otherwise.

When an antenna or group of antennas is combined with circuit elements that are active, nonlinear, or nonreciprocal, the combination is regarded as a system which includes an antenna. Examples of such cases are an adaptive antenna system and a signalprocessing antenna system; the complete conical- scanning, monopulse, and compound interferometer systems also fall in this category.

For terms that are quantitative it is understood that frequency must be specified. Those terms in which phase or polarization is a significant part of the definition imply a coherent source of power. Whenever a term is commonly used in other fields but has specialized significance in the field of antennas, this is noted in the title.